Book support



F. R. RABY BOOK SUPPORT Jan. 22, 1957 Filed June 29, 1955 United States Patent $778,153 BQOKSUBPORT 'EreilrickgR'Raby, Windsor, Ontario, Canada vApplication .June 29,-I955,Se1.'ial7N0. 518,875 3 Claims. (Cl. 4557) invention relates -to-an easel -or book support for facilitatingthe --supporting of bound '-books (more par- '=tici1larly of the loose-leaf type) in ;an -open display -or reading position, and-contemplates the provision of a pimple andeasilyconstructeddevice-comprising an upper portion 1 characterized by a pair-of clips of hairpin form, the free lags of which clips may be passed within :the (back portion of the bookfrom which the boards extend so that they will be positioned adjacent the juncture between said back portion and said boards; and a swingable lower portion or support hingedly connected to the lower part of said upper portion in such manner that said support may be moved into a closed position, more or less flush with the back of the book, and to an opened position wherein it acts to support the book in an inclined position for reading.

More particularly the said invention contemplates a wire structure wherein an upper element has a horizontal bar from the ends of which a pair of inverted hairpinlike clips are extended upwardly for engagement with the back of a loose-leaf book (whereby the free legs of said clips when in engagement with the back of the book impinge against opposite lateral portions of the loose-leaf mechanism structure carried within said book), and a lower U-shaped element the upper ends of the legs thereof being pivoted at the ends of said bar and provided with stop means limiting the angle or extent to which said lower element may be swung, relative to the upper element, for the purposes referred to.

Still further objects or advantages additional or subsidiary to the aforesaid objects, or resulting from the construction or operation of the invention as it may be carried into effect, will become apparent as the said invention is hereinafter further disclosed.

In carrying the said invention into efiect, I may adopt the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, by way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved easel as applied to the cover of a loose-leaf book;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the back of the book showing the device applied thereto in the closed position of the easel;

Figure 4 is a view illustrating the position of the clips of the device in their normal unsprung position before being applied to the book; and

Figure 5 is a similar view to the upper portion of Figure 1 showing an alternative position which the legs of the clips may occupy in their engagement with the loose-leaf mechanism of the book.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts of the several figures of the drawing.

A loose-leaf book cover is shown having the usual boards connected to a back 11, and 12 indicates the metallic casing of a ring-binder mechanism having the typical rings 13; all of which may vary as to structure in diiferent makes of such binders.

2,778,153 EiRatented Jan. '22, 1957 It is desirable in many cases that such -a' book,especially when provided with a great manyleaves, be sup- "ported in a reading angleason-a table for-a comfortable viewing and, forthis purposefiI have provided the simple operating "but very effective device such as is illustrated.

Dhis device comprises an upper element for engageofthe book or binder and a lower element-sw'ingably attached to the-upperelement for. supporting -the--book or binder in its inclined reading position.

:In -the device, -as=illustrated, the upper element includes a cross bar"=14, the :ends of which are-benbupwardly'and inwardly toward :each other as at 15 and 16 and =then again upwardly 'and downwardly in hairpin form as 'at 17 and IE8.

*Whese hairpin-like clips erect a springy natu-re so that they may be readily forced over into engagement-with ;the .upper portionof thelback of the book or binder and whereby the' free legs 15 of the said clips may be spread :from their converging relation to an extent causing them id-engage :t-he lateral portionsof the mechanism casing 12 as showniin F-ig ure 1,- or, if desired,-'-the upper ring 15 of the mechanism as in Figure 5. It will be observed, that in an ordinary bound book wherein such ace the described upper element of the device in position thereon.

The lower element referred to may be made of wire bent to a U formation, as shown, with the horizontal cross member 19 thereof bent to conform with the curvature of the back of the book and the legs 20 offset at their upper ends, as at 21, and engaged with the cross bar 14 of the upper element at 22.

compress the spring 23 when the lower element is swung outwardly to its supporting position. This deters inadvertent collapsing of the lower supporting element when in actual use.

As the lower element may be swung into a position more or less flush with the back of the book in the closed position of the easel, it need not be removed therefrom when the book is not in use and the device will such a book or hinder at all times, if desired.

What I claim is:

1. In a book support, an upper structure comprising a horizontal bar from the ends of which extend a pair of inverted hairpin-like clips for engagement with the back portion of the book, the open ends of said clips constructure in the form of a U-shaped element the upper ends of the legs of which are pivotedly connected at the ends of said horizontal bar, and stop means carried by the lower structure engageable with the upper structure for limiting the swinging extent of said lower structure on ,2. In a book support, an

3 said upper structure whereby said lower structure may, on a book, be swung inwardly substantially flush with the back of the book or outwardly to operate as a support forthe book. A i

I v upper structure comprising a horizontal barv from the ends of which extend a pair of inverted hairpin-like clips for engagement with the back portion of the book, the open ends of said clips converging toward one another, a lower structure in the form of a'U-shaped element the upper ends of the legs of which are pivotedly connected at the ends of said horizontal bar, stop means carried by the lower structure engageable with the upper structure for limiting the swinging extent of said lower structure on said upper structure whereby :saidlower structure may, when the device is in position on a book, be swung inwardly substantially flush with theback of the book or outwardly to operate as a support for the book, and resilient means on said bar spreading said legs into frictional impingement with said upper structure.

3. In a book support, an upper structure comprising ahorizontal bar from the ends of which extend a pair of inverted hairpin-like clips for engagement with the back'portion of the book, a lower structure in the form of a U-shapcd element the upper ends of the legs of which when the device is in position are pivotedly connected at the ends of said horizontal bar, said upper ends being converged toward one another to provide camrning impingement with the legs of the upper structure, stop means carried by the lower structure engageable with the upper structure for limiting the swinging extent of said lower structure on said upper structure whereby said lower structure may, when the device is in position on a book, be swung inwardly substantially flush with the back of the book or outwardly to operate as a support for the book, and resilient means on said bar spreading said legs intofrictional impingement with said upper structure, said resilient means being compressible under the carnming action of the ends of said legs against said upper structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 632,384 Welch Sept. 5, 1899 1,026,523 Maxwell May 14, 1912 1,197,351 Dalglish Sept. 5, 1916 1,228,136 Reede May 29, 1917 1,900,251 Moore Mar. 7, 1933 2,250,808 Lynch July 29, 1941 2,592,252 Coste Apr. 8, 1952 2,661,568 Stark Dec. 8, 1953 

